How Acupuncture Improves Chances Of Fertility?
Infertility is defined as being not able to conceive after sexual contact without protection for a period of one year. A woman who cannot maintain pregnancy may also suffer from infertility. Statistical data by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) shows that approximately 10-12% of women ages 15 to 44 are affected by infertility.
The male and female factors may both contribute to fertility issues in 35 percent of couples. In couples actively trying to conceive, around 8 percent of cases of infertility are caused solely by male factors. In our acupuncture clinic in encino, we first make sure where the issue may be coming from. It can be from either partner, so it is essential to make sure we are treating the correct individual.
There are many ways to improve chances of fertility. Acupuncture is one form of complementary treatment that some people use to treat fertility problems. At our acupuncture clinic in encno, one of our specializations is conducting treatments to enhance fertility. People who use acupuncture for treating a variety of health conditions increase their chances upwards of 40-60%. During the acupuncture treatment very small, thin, and sterile needles are placed into specific body points (called acupoints) in order to increase circulation, calm the nervous system, regulate hormones and much more in order to reach your goal.
Acupuncture is useful in treating infertility in the following ways:
It helps increase blood circulation to the reproductive organs (ovary and uterus)
It helps balance and regulate reproductive hormones
It suppresses the production of stress hormones
At Balance Within, one or our main specialties is increasing your chances of fertility using natural and traditional style acupuncture geared towrards fertility. Please continuing on to find what research says about the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving fertility and why some use this traditional method.
Can acupuncture boost your fertility?
Some research and clinical trials suggest that acupuncture may improve the chances of fertility. In a small study, acupuncture performed before and after IVF (in vitro fertilization) led to a higher chance of conception in infertile women than those who simply changed their lifestyle. In a review of 23 studies, acupuncture was shown to increase the chances of conceiving among women undergoing IVF.
Researchers from Germany found that adding acupuncture to traditional IVF treatment protocols significantly increased pregnancy success in a study of 160 women published in the reproductive journal Fertility and Sterility in April 2002.
The study involves two 25-minute acupuncture treatment sessions on a group of 80 patients. One session was given before IVF and another after fertilized embryos were transferred into their uterus. Additionally, no acupuncture treatments were given to the second batch of 80 women undergoing embryo transfer.
Although both groups of women became pregnant, there was a significant difference in the number of pregnancies in the group that received acupuncture — 34 compared with 21 for those who received IVF alone.
However, acupuncture can help in more than just increasing the chances of IVF. Doctors and fertility experts say that women who don’t want to use fertility medicine or can’t use them can also benefit from the regular acupuncture sessions.
Studies have shown that when acupuncture and an egg-producing stimulating drug (such as clomid) were compared – the pregnancy rates were not identical. The chances of getting pregnant were 50% to those not undergoing IVF. While our acupuncture office in encino is a strong advocate for more natural approaches to fertility, it must be noted that when acupuncture is combined with western therapies like IVF it does increase your chances significantly.
Compared to fertility drugs used in IVF, acupuncture is shown to stimulate the growth of just one egg. Clomid, for example, is shown to help stimulate and release more than one egg. Therefore, fertility experts believe that acupuncture can’t be substituted for fertility drugs – as their success rate is higher compared to this traditional way of improving fertility.
When should acupuncture fertility treatment begin?
The process-oriented nature of acupuncture makes it similar to physical therapy. More is better than less when it comes to acupuncture. Treatments typically lasts three to four months before the patient undergoes a donor egg transfer, insemination, or IVF. It is thought that pacing the treatment this way has a therapeutic effect.
Study results by Stener-Victorin et al. of the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fertility Centre, Scandinavia and the University of Gothenburg suggested that women receive acupuncture treatment pre and post embryo transfer.
A combination of traditional medicine (acupuncture), herbal medicine, and fertility drugs appears to be the most effective fertility treatment at the Berkeley Center for Reproductive Wellness. The use of acupuncture and herbal medicines without traditional medical interventions can occasionally result in conception.
What are the risks of acupuncture when you’re trying to get pregnant?
There is no evidence that this treatment is dangerous, but it is vital to find a professional who is familiar with infertility care. At Balance Within, our acupuncture clinic in encino specializes in many areas. One of the areas our practitioners are highly experienced in is using acupuncture to enhance fertility rates.
Please note and be ensured that the needles used in your treatment are single-use, individually packaged ones as an extra precaution. We use a skin swab soaked in alcohol each time before inserting a needle.
It’s imperative to get a pregnancy test once you reach the implantation stage of an IVF protocol and acupuncture treatment combination. It is equally important to have an obstetrician confirm your pregnancy as soon as possible if you are trying to conceive on your own. In the same way that acupuncture stimulates the uterus and increases fertility, it can also help decrease stress and anxiety levels during the process which is a great adjunct to your treatments. For more information, please feel free to call our office and speak to one of our encino acupuncture specialists.
